Strange little package. Has no installation instructions, which would not otherwise be needed, except it doesn't work no matter where I put it. Running the file itself directly gives error. Besides, why even have this when Vanilla has this option built in anyway.

Testing this plugin, I noticed it blocked the SiteMaps plugin which uses: /sitemapindex.xml and /robots.txt . It may be worth having those two locations allowed so google can use sitemaps to find forum categories. In addition, adding a way to force the same behavior on a defined discussion could create a private "Members Only" discussion that google / visitors can't see. Thanks for the plugin!

@rotaecho said:
Testing this plugin, I noticed it blocked the SiteMaps plugin which uses: /sitemapindex.xml and /robots.txt . It may be worth having those two locations allowed so google can use sitemaps to find forum categories. In addition, adding a way to force the same behavior on a defined discussion could create a private "Members Only" discussion that google / visitors can't see. Thanks for the plugin!

your problem may be that

ForceGuestSignIn/default.php has a closing php tag.

plugins should never end with a closing > ?>
php tag because it breaks rss and xml.

change from

public function Setup(){}
}
?>

to

public function Setup(){}
}

remove the

?>

and see if that fixes your problem.

I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

@peregrine‌ good catch / note about the closing php tag not being part of the plugin. It didn't seem to resolve the sitemaps being blocked though. When I disable the Guest Plugin, sitemaps works, enable the plugin sitemaps breaks. I read somewhere that sitemaps isn't really needed for SEO, but in my mind every little bit helps.

I'm going to play around with this and the other plugin found that enables Guest access.

I think Guest redirecting is totally a good idea, also that both the plugins could enact a "Members Only" discussion that google/guests can't see, but only members. Where other discussions are totally public to view.